Every so often, the Hot Wheels Graphics Team is let loose and they able to exercise some creative freedom. Back in 2003, Hot Wheels Graphic Designers MiQ Willmott and Wayne Scott collaborated on this graphic design featured on the #Vairy 8 in the open vamp section of the #2003 Hot Wheels mainline.

Back before every Hot Wheels mainline vehicle was classified into a segment series, there would be open vamp sections of the mainline which were essentially uncategorized vehicle releases. It was the kind of a place for extra segment series cars, repaints of past releases and also an extra spot to re-release some of the brand new castings for that year.

That year, the #Vairy 8 was a 2003 First Edition. While that release came out earlier in the year, this one followed not too long after. This release is one of those open vamp “extra segment series cars” that I eluded to earlier as it wears the logo of the #Roll Patrol Series.

In what can be seen as a play on the TV series, Starsky and Hutch (1975-1979), this design features “vectorized” illustrations of MiQ & Wayne in ’70s garb — MiQ has the afro and Wayne has the Fu Manchu & killer sideburns. The design also features the casting itself, the Vairy 8, on the hood graphic.

The #Roll Patrol Series consisted of a variety of vehicles, all with some sort of police reference. In 2003, there was a 10-car Roll Patrol series (numbered 1-10), an unnumbered series car in the Fish’d & Chip’d, and two open “hidden” series cars in the open vamp with the Nissan Z and this #Vairy 8 .

RELEASE DETAILS: Red Body (metal). Light Blue Tinted Windows. Chrome Interior. Chrome 5-Spoke (5SP) Wheels. Unpainted Metal Base. Made in Thailand. Toy# 57179. Released in 2003 as #214 in the Hot Wheels mainline.